Letter to Editor: When will we see improvement in community services in Potter Street?

Politics / Wed 3rd Aug 2022 at 03:19pm

A veteran community champion in Potter Street has written to the leader of Harlow Council as he continues to fight for improved facilities in his area.

Dear Cllr. Perrin,

I hope you are well.

I approach you in your capacity as the leader of Harlow Council following my question and supplementary to you at the full council meeting back in early February this year.

I produce with the permission of Your Harlow a recording of my supplementary question and your detailed response.

Potter Street resident wants to see return of community services to area

You assured me that the regeneration of Harlow in general and Potter Street in particular was the core objective of your administration. Sadly in respect of Potter Street and the well being hub nothing has been forthcoming.

Indeed despite your words on the night that specifically stated:

“However, the Council is working with local residents to deliver a new Potter Street Health and Community Hub. This has been supported by the Council’s staff to get this over the line. I am informed refurbishment work will start soon on the site,”

I can confirm that nothing has happened since February by either the council or HTS to move this project forward. Please could you explain why?

Surely you as the leader of the council can get officers to act, otherwise your assurances given to me in February are worthless and shows a clear lack of commitment to getting the well being hub in Potter Street up and running. These services in my community are needed now after four years without any form of medical provision.

My recent meetings with the WECCG and the lead officer of the new integrated body, Dr. Jane Halpin, has confirmed they are fully behind the development of the well being hub and in providing some medical provision.

If I can achieve this commitment as a concerned resident you as the leader of the council can tell your officers’ to get the refurbishment completed so the creation of the hub can move forward. If not then where can the residents’ go to improve the town and specifically Potter Street in this case.

It is time to act on this project by the council and delaying it will show your words were just warm in nature with no authority behind them. Please start acting in the interests of my community in Potter Street.

I look forward to a prompt response with a commitment to do, rather than pontificate.

Keep well and stay safe.

Yours sincerely

Gary Roberts

5 Comments for Letter to Editor: When will we see improvement in community services in Potter Street?:

David Forman

2022-08-03 17:01:44

Nice to see ordinary citizens holding the Council to account, especially as the Labour Group are not an effective Opposition.

novoman

2022-08-03 23:02:05

Which epithet is most appropriate about Harlow Council? "All mouth and no trousers", or "All fur coat and no knickers."

J

2022-08-15 10:10:59

When will any little bit of Harlow see any improvements?. Problem is we moan about it but nothing changes. Action speaks louder then words.

Pauras

2022-08-19 00:47:34

No David. This is not holding Harlow Council to account, it is a valid and legitimate protest. Holding to account is where one party puts sanctions on another party for acting dishonestly, etc. No sanctions here, because residents lack this ability. In 2018 2 councillors promised that trees causing damage to our property would be removed. When this did not happen I emailed a number, including the 'leader' of the council and the two councillors who promised the removal, and others, and got no reply from anyone. 2 years earlier the Harlow Council Head of Governance falsely and fraudulently accused me of making a vexatious complaint that had no substance when my complaints were supported by the law, admissions by Harlow Council officers, admissions of subsidence by Harlow Council representatives, evidence that include Laboratory Report, BBC Rip Off Britain scans, etc. Harlow Council have deliberately put us through hell for over 12 years and leaders of the council and councillors supervise the bullying, discrimination and abuse. Who is holding crooked Harlow council officers to account? David you and Your Harlow have much of this evidence and know that I am telling the truth. Harlow Council is a criminal organisation funded with public money!

Nicholas Taylor

2022-08-20 10:06:20

In answer to J, people do keep moaning about things but until they take action by coming out and vote for an alternative then nothing will change. Not voting just leaves power with the small minority that do. At the last Local Elections, 70% of the electorate did not vote at a time when thousands of people are dying in Ukraine in order to keep the freedoms we take for granted here in the West.